


Go Fish

by albawrites



Series: On the Way to Piltover [4]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 10:00:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4955968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/albawrites/pseuds/albawrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Camping isn't Twisted Fate's style. Neither is learning to swim.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Do You Have a One?

**Author's Note:**

> RATING: Mature. Men are having sex with each other what the hey.  
> DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are owned by the author, simply written for amusement and the fact that I wasn't satisfied with the lack of stories with these two. Their adventure continues here.  
> NOTES: This story in particular ended up so long that I felt it was helpful to split it into two parts (again). You can find the second part set up as a second chapter in this post specifically.

"So that's why you two are traveling together now?" Ezreal asks him, glancing in the direction of Graves and Ekko talking.

There's a slow sigh from Twisted Fate, who shakes his head. "Ain't the reason, but it doesn't hurt. Don't read into it, cool hand."

"What?" Ezreal blinks. "Don't _read into it?_ But you two--"

"It's more of a friends with benefits situation." Twisted Fate shrugs, keeping his composure despite having just narrowly avoided death once again. "Suits me just fine."

Despite his explanation, the explorer grins at Twisted Fate. "Nah, c'mon. You love him, don't you? I saw you two last night. I mean, the memory is a little fuzzy since I'm back to normal, but I didn't forget what I saw."

The question burns into him, and it's a subject Twisted Fate has been delicately avoiding. He's deflected the word in his mind and the concept being a potential. Yet, here's Ezreal, bringing it up without an issue. Damn kid.

"You should tell him," Ezreal suggests, making his own assumptions.

"I don't know, cool hand, why don't you throw off your clothes and have a run?" Twisted Fate says, escalating the volume of his voice on purpose.

" _Hey!_ " Ezreal does his best to not look embarrassed. "I just-- I had to be free, okay?! And I was a kid!"

"Uh-huh."

"Anyway, just think about it, okay?" Ezreal sighs.

Twisted Fate doesn't say anything to him and turns toward Graves. "You ready, partner?"

 

-=-=-

 

Walking the rest of the way is absolutely unreasonable to Twisted Fate. Maybe less so for Graves, who is used to doing everything on foot and charging his way through life, but there are options for them. He can allow some luxuries, and he absolutely sees no reason why he cannot take advantage of them. Not when he can easily afford it.

A couple of miles north of Zaun exists a train station that will take them as close as they can be to Piltover. It's sort of a bitter arrangement between both rivaling cities. There's no way it's close enough to Zaun to actually be in the city, of course. That would be far too convenient. Still, it's a way to make the passage that much faster, and Twisted Fate charms his way to renting at a disocunted price for a cabin on the train for him and his partner.

There are two beds, but Twisted Fate debates on how necessary that is at this point. There's a table, made of solid oak from the looks of it with a small arrangement of flowers. Unnecessary but a nice touch; Twisted Fate will give them credit for that.

"We could've just had normal seats," Graves remarks as they step into the fully furnished cabin. "There's a bathroom in here. There's _plumbing_ in this thing?"

"Malcolm, I just had to endure that boat trip, a terrible restaurant, I experienced time travel _I think_ , and nearly died because of vengeful pirates." Twisted Fate locks the cabin door. "I think I can be allowed to indulge."

Graves just shakes his head, but fortunately doesn't argue any further.

As soon as he can, his boots come off, and Twisted Fate shrugs out of his coat, letting it hang on a nearby hook. He raises a brow at Graves and says, "Besides. I sorta figured you'd want a little personal time."

"Ah." Graves pauses, looking a little more invested.

"But I suppose if you're too busy complainin' on my money spending," Twisted Fate continues, musing to himself as he starts to purposefully unbutton his vest as slowly as he can.

The suggestion of intimacy is enough, it seems. Graves is grabbing his wrists and pressing him against the wall, and Twisted Fate can see the look in his eyes. He laughs quietly to himself before Graves is kissing him. The previous times that they've done this, there was a certain hunger and determination to it from Graves, more teeth and primal, and that suited Twisted Fate just fine. Right now, though, it's almost desperate, softer. 

Something's changed. Twisted Fate doesn't know if he wants to ask what it is. He likes it, and he worries about that.

Fingers are finishing the rest of the unbuttoning on his vest, and Graves is peeling it away from him while Twisted Fate's quick hands are making short work of the poncho. The outlaw's mouth pulls away from his own, and teeth find his throat under his jawline, scraping along his pulse. It steals away Twisted Fate's breath for a moment before he's remembering to work on Graves' shirt.

"Tobias."

Rarely, Graves uses that name around him. Twisted Fate blinks once and looks at him.

"You said you'd answer questions of mine. Don't know if you remember." Graves is looking at him, but he's still slowly undressing Twisted Fate from his shirt.

He remembers, of course. It feels strange in his mind, like everything had happened ten years ago, but it didn't really and it feels like it just happened, too. It's worse for him, as it would be worse for any man like him. Twisted Fate remembers telling him that he'd answer his questions, and he's quietly cursing himself from ten years ago. His heart was slightly more open then, more than it is now.

Instead, he pulls Graves' hips close, enough to his own to grind against him. "Now's not really the time for that, is it?" Twisted Fate asks coolly.

It does draw a low grunt of interest from the gunman, but Malcolm is pressing his hands against Twisted Fate's wrists, keeping them against the wall. "I think," Graves says, moving one of his hands to touch the new scar on Twisted Fate's abdomen, "it probably needs to be addressed."

This is a poor topic. Twisted Fate sighs and tips his head to the side, some of his hair falling into his face. "Malcolm, I know you hate not knowing. But right now, I just want this. Think you can wait on your questions a bit longer?" 

It's as sincere as Twisted Fate can be right now, and he isn't sure what Graves might be thinking or feeling. Tobias shared little with so few, but becoming friends with Malcolm Graves offered a level of trust back then that he could rely on. Sure, he's always been a temperamental, stubborn man, but back then he never doubted that Graves had his back. He's trustworthy as far as they can get. The fact that Tobias _did_ share enough like that isn't shocking.

Twisted Fate has more reservations since the man he used to be ten years ago. It's stupid to think that he'd be more willing to offer to suck him off than to kiss him romantically in the night, but casual sex is easier to brush off than being impulsive with his feelings. Whatever Malcolm feels or thinks about him now, Twisted Fate isn't sure if he's ready to know or ready to tell.

Graves looks at him, then leans in. Teeth find the lobe of his ear for a moment, and Twisted Fate swallows at the feeling. "Then you tell me when's the time," Graves murmurs into his ear.

Relief sinks in and Twisted Fate nods as his hands are freed finally. He resumes tugging off the other man's shirt. "Thank you kindly," he says, his tone an exaggerated sense of amusement. The words, however, are sincere. He wasn't sure Graves would be so willing to wait.

The rest of their clothing drops to the floor in a crumpled mess, quickly forgotten about while Twisted Fate feels Graves' mouth on his throat, sucking. It causes his breath to come out harsher, his chin tipping back. The outlaw's beard scratches along his skin, though it's far from unpleasant, not with the teeth and affection playing across his neck. Eventually, Graves' mouth finds its way back to his own, and Twisted Fate presses into the kiss. It's still decidedly softer than he's anticipating, but he welcomes it, encouraging him with a quick dart of his tongue.

He feels one of Graves' hands grab his ass and Twisted Fate can't help but laugh a little into the kiss. It catches him off guard, but at the same time he does have a bit of pride in several of his own assets. He thinks that if his mouth wasn't busy, he'd have told the joke, and Graves would probably punch his arm as he always does, but admittedly he's enormously preoccupied.

It wouldn't be difficult to get down to business so quickly, but Twisted Fate's fingers still tease up the front of Graves' thighs anyway. It earns a rumble from the other man, and Twisted Fate grins against his mouth. He doesn't quite touch his cock, which does give him an impatient roll of the gunman's hips, but he doesn't change his pace. His hands move up against Graves' stomach, small circles traced along his abdomen as he works his way up to his chest. When Twisted Fate thumbs a nipple, Graves is grunting, as if uncertain how to react to the contact. Interested to see his partner's reaction again, the thief rubs the pad of his thumb over the sensitive skin again. Against his hip, he's already started to feel Graves start to get hard, but the motion seems to make him twitch with interest.

Graves pulls away from the kiss and gives him a look that just makes Twisted Fate chuckle. "What, all those bar maids you bedded never played with you like that?" he teases.

"You ain't a bar maid."

"True, I'm much better lookin'," Twisted Fate agrees, grinning. "How's it feel?"

"It's... different." Graves' breath catches when the swindler lightly rubs his fingers over the spot once more, then he gives a low rumble before he's leaning in close to growl against Twisted Fate's lips, "You keep that up and I'll pound you into the wall."

The idea sends a pleasant chill down his back, and Twisted Fate simply smiles in return, leaning in to keep teasing his lips against the other man. "That a promise?" he drawls, rolling both of his thumbs over his nipples again.

Graves growls, distracted a moment as his hips jerk against Twisted Fate's. Finally impatient, he shoves his mouth against the other man's, and it feels hotter to Twisted Fate; silly thought, that's unlikely, but it could be on account of the hardened cock pressing into his inner thigh and how Graves is grabbing him, keeping him close, and kneading his ass with his strong hands. 

"Coat pocket," Twisted Fate finally breathes out, forcing himself out of the kiss. It's a short lived break and Malcolm's mouth is on his own again, biting and demanding. It's satisfying to know that just a small tease of his fingers and he's gotten him this worked up.

Hanging next to Graves' head is indeed Twisted Fate's coat, and the gunman is digging into the pockets. Not that there's much to find, since Twisted Fate doesn't leave hell of a lot there. Seems a terrible idea, actually, unless it's intentional and in this case it is. Graves finds the bottle of oil finally, and it seems like he's reluctant to break the kiss but it's necessary. 

"Didn't forget how to do this, did ya?" Twisted Fate muses, grinning at him. The smile is stolen away when Graves slides his fingers under his cock, and the thief finds himself groaning.

"It's been a few days," Graves says flatly. "Per usual, you still talk too much."

"On the contrary. I talk just enough to give you the opportunity to--" Twisted Fate stops abruptly when he feels a thick finger nudge gently inside. " _Ah._ Yeah. That-- all right."

Graves raises a brow at him. "Were you sayin' something?"

Before he can come out with another clever response, Twisted Fate opens his mouth and finds himself moaning. Graves hasn't forgotten at all, and his finger is rubbing up against his prostate. His legs tremble and Twisted Fate grips shoulders. "Malcolm," he chokes out. "I know you're-- _mm._ " Damn it, he has to breathe again when Graves pull his hand back and pushes in _two_ fingers to curl into him. "You're a strong man, but I don't think you can hold me up that long and if you're gonna keep-- _Malcolm._ " He shudders and squirms against him, pressing himself against his hand.

"Hm." Graves looks thoughtful a moment, as if he's not sure he really wants to stop fingering the thief. It seems his point is made, though. The two fingers thrust back in one more time, making Twisted Fate moan unabashedly loud before they're pulling out. The oak table is being yanked over, which seems to be of adequate height for this purpose. Twisted Fate leans against it while Graves grips his hip in one hand, lifting a thigh in the other.

The head of his cock presses against him, though not unpleasantly. It makes him breathe, remembering to relax before Graves is slowly pressing himself in. The first time they'd done this, it seemed best for Twisted Fate to take up the pacing to make sure that both of them were comfortable, but this time he's fine enough to let the gunman take lead. If he's really going to live up to his promise, he's more than okay with Graves fucking him against the wall. He could care less if the other passengers can hear. Bit by bit, he feels Graves slide in, and Twisted Fate waits patiently until he's up to the hilt, then he sighs, tipping his head back. Graves isn't waiting long; he's biting Twisted Fate's exposed throat as he draws his hips back and thrusts into him, the movement quick but hard. 

"Gonna tire yourself out-- _hha!_ " Twisted Fate gasps at the following sharp roll from Graves. "If y'keep that up."

"Yeah?" Graves rumbles against his neck, and it's impossible to miss the determination and hunger in his voice. At the challenge, the gunman bucks into him harder, pressing him tight against the wall. It causes a loud _THUMP_ , and Twisted Fate is completely certain that if other passengers next door didn't hear them, then they surely would by now.

Every thrust is followed upon by a rough noise of being pounded into the wall, just as Graves promised. Twisted Fate laughs to himself for a moment before he lets out a throaty moan, his arms wound tight to his partner's shoulders. Pleasure shoots through him upon every powerful move of Graves' body, his strength pushing him closer and closer to finishing. He tips his head back, crying out wordlessly, vocalizing his enjoyment. " _Malcolm_ ," Twisted Fate purrs out, knowing exactly how that's going to affect the other man.

Graves curses softly, his rhythm distorted as he drives into the thief. It causes the gunman to choke on air, his breath hot against Twisted Fate's throat as he feels him finish, spilling into him. It's a brief sensation, and Twisted Fate, without any restraint, shouts out his partner's name as he follows his example, heat pooling in his stomach familiarly as he orgasms, clenching tight over the cock still seated inside.

It leaves his breathless for a moment until he swallows. Twisted Fate leans down, pressing his forehead against Graves' shoulder.

"Don't think I can hear out of that ear for the next hour," Graves mutters. "I forgot that you're a screamer sometimes."

"Look, those inns we stayed at had paper thin walls. That's hardly my fault." Twisted Fate is grinning anyway before he winces when Graves pulls out. "Mm, yeah. That table was useful."

Wordlessly, Graves helps him down from the table. His back and backside alike are a little sore, but certainly a worthwhile venture in his opinion. Nothing that can't really be walked off, anyway. Twisted Fate flashes him a thankful smile, bracing a hand against his chest.

"Thank that plumbing's silly now?" he muses, pulling the other man into the shower with him.

Graves snorts at him as the water turns on after Twisted Fate fiddles with the it. "Yeah, I do, but it's convenient."

"Even if I thought we could go for a round two in it?" The thief grins knowingly at him, sliding his hands down to Graves' hips.

It doesn't take much more convincing to have the outlaw growl in his ear and push him against the tile wall.

 

-=-=-

 

The cabin is quiet for awhile. Of course, admittedly, Twisted Fate's throat is a little hoarse from all of the pleasurable yelling he'd been vocalizing, but he supposes that after two bouts of sex, it was enough of a distraction from the conversation that Graves wanted to have and the thief has now postponed. Twisted Fate has no desire to get onto that subject with him anytime soon, and he simply hopes that Graves keeps up his promise that he'd leave the subject be for now.

Absently, he combs his drying hair, watching Graves peer through the blinds of their train cabin, studying the outside world with barely an interest. Twisted Fate debates making conversation, but figures if Graves has anything to say he'll find a way to say it regardless.

"How's it feel?" he hears Graves ask him suddenly.

Twisted Fate lifts his head, tilting it curiously as he puts his comb down. "Wanna clarify that?"

Graves raises his brow at him. "When we..." Then he tilts his head suggestively.

"When I've got your dick in me?" When Graves makes a face, Twisted Fate laughs at him. "We're both grown men here. C'mon now. There's not many other nice ways t'put it. Guess I could'a said when we're _making love_ , but that ain't exactly right either, eh?"

"Well?" Graves asks, looking a bit irritated.

"In case y'haven't noticed, it can feel _very_ nice." The thief approaches Graves, sitting next to him closely. "It pinches a bit at first, but once it's in, it feels... snug, I suppose. The kind of feeling I get from it is a different sense of pleasure from when, say, there's any attention on my cock. Sometimes I like it just one way or the other."

"Hm."

Twisted Fate grins at him. "That what you were so deep in thought about? What it feels like?"

"No, but it did come across my mind." Abruptly, Graves is pulling him in close. It's a rare occasion when Twisted Fate is startled, but he finds himself tugged near and his head resting against Graves' shoulder with the other man's arm around his waist. Something soft after they're done isn't unusual, but this seems very affectionate.

It's odd. He doesn't dislike it, but he has to convince himself to relax against him, his eyes closing. He isn't sure how to judge this, and for once he doesn't know what Graves is feeling or thinking. The mystery of it is a little exciting, but it makes him concerned as well. Graves is not a complicated man, and anticipating him had used to be so simple. Yet, becoming this involved lately seems to have made this a bit more unpredictable. Twisted Fate goes still a moment when he feels the other man's callused fingers touch his hair, then he relaxes once more.

That... isn't so bad.

There's a sudden shift to the entire train. It's a small jerk, and Twisted Fate can feel that it's starting to slow down. He frowns and lifts his head away from Graves, who seems just as mystified as him. A quick look out the window, and it's a clear indiciation. The train is coming to a stop, but why?

" _Ladies and gentlemen_ ," the intercom buzzes. " _Due to the tracks being in a state of disrepair, we will stop briefly before returning passengers to Zaun. I repeat._ "

"Are you kiddin' me?" Twisted Fate scoffs.

"Ain't no way either of us are headed back that way." Graves shakes his head.

The thief gets to his feet and snatches his coat. "I'm not sold on that idea either. Suppose we ought to have a look ourselves."

As soon as the train stops, Twisted Fate is quick to find a way outside with his partner behind him before any of the staff can really stop him. He slips his hands into his pockets and strolls ahead of the locomotive, peering curiously over to the remains of the tracks.

They're gnarled and torn up, with scuff marks in the dirt from a giant beast. Something about the claw marks look remarkably familiar, but all of his time with Nidalee doesn't do a lick of help here. Twisted Fate couldn't say what destroyed the tracks, just that something clearly did.

"What an inconvenience," Twisted Fate hears a snide voice of undoubtedly some noblewoman or other. "First that obnoxious noise next door, now this. People just making a racket next to us. _That_ sort of behavior on a train, really."

Twisted Fate tsks and grins at Graves. "Can't imagine who would ever do such a thing, eh Malcolm?"

Graves just rolls his eyes and takes him by the arm. "C'mon, you. We have a lot of walkin' ahead of us if we wanna make it to Piltover."

"What, are you serious? You wanna walk the rest of the way."

"You know, you did a lot of walkin' before you started dressin' the way you do," Graves points out with a raised brow.

"I ain't sorry for not liking to sweat in satin and silk." Twisted Fate still finds himself getting dragged away from the growing crowd of former passengers. "I didn't even get my refund yet!"

"I think you'll live without it. Hike up your skirts and get marchin', T.F."

This is definitely not what Twisted Fate had in mind in terms of their trip. A nice, easygoing train ride had been his plan, but it couldn't be that simple. Of course not. He sighs and paces alongside his partner instead.

"You do know that this ain't gonna be a one day walk for us. Piltover's probably somethin' like two days away on foot," Twisted Fate points out.

Graves glances at him. "I'm perfectly aware. It's called camping, smart guy, and I've chased you in that direction in the last few months before."

"On foot? I'm flattered you worked so hard to kill me."

"You didn't make it easy on me, that's for damned sure," Graves says with a snort.

"If I did, I wouldn't be breathin' right now," Twisted Fate replies, chuckling. "So what dastardly plans did y'have to try to murder me, hotshot?"

The question makes Graves grunt. "Well, ain't this a cheerful topic." That doesn't stop him from continuing. "They were usually pretty simple: followin' rumors where you were, or were gonna be. Then I'd probably shoot you."

" _Probably._ "

"Look, they didn't real detailed. Though I did seriously consider finding you on your birthday and giving you a present full of bullets, but that'd been hell of a wait."

Twisted Fate shrugs. "Too bad y'don't know when my birthday is."

Slowly, Graves turns his head to give him a serious look, his eyes fierce. Then he states firmly: "Apirl 4th."

"You son of a bitch! How the hell did you--?" Twisted Fate frowns. "I ain't ever told a soul!"

Graves smirks at him, but remains silent otherwise.

" _Clever_ , Malcolm Graves. But if you were so clever, you'd have considered _popping out of a cake_ and then shooting me on my birthday."

"Shit," Graves mutters. "That _would_ have been better."

 

-=-=-

 

Walking is overrated when one can afford the comfort and luxury of technological advances and transportation, and it doesn't hurt to have the ability to make magical teleportation happen on a regular basis. Unfortunately, Gate only allows one passenger, and it's not terribly long ranged, and Graves isn't interested in waiting around for the next available option to them. Not when pirates are still probably angry with them with what went down in Bilgewater. That's not exactly their fault, but Twisted Fate's never considered most of them to be terribly bright. In any case, it means they need to push along as far as they can, hiking their way to Piltover.

One of the most unfortunate things is walking at long lengths in only semi-adequate boots. Twisted Fate had purchased a pair for himself while they were in Ionia, but the fit isn't as comfortable as he'd like and it just can't compare to his old boots, and it's taking longer than intended to really break them in. His feet are unhappy, he's displeased with strolling through fields and forests, and he's anxiously looking forward to the day they can rent an inn room.

Which won't be for a few days.

It's early evening, and the sun hasn't quite sunk down into the horizon yet. Over the course of their walk, Twisted Fate has draped his coat over his arm, annoyed at how hot he'd gotten over the course of their travel. Somehow, to his amazement, Graves still has his poncho on.

They finally make their way into a clearing, which has a body of water, a humbly sized lake. Graves grunts and glances over the area.

"Not a bad place to stop for the night," Graves muses.

"Great. Sure didn't miss sleeping on dirt and rocks," Twisted Fate grumbles.

"Are you gonna stop that bellyachin' at any point?"

Twisted Fate shrugs. "You see an inn anywhere? No? Probably not until one magically appears." When Graves doesn't respond to him, Twisted Fate turns to look at the other man curiously. The gunman is facing the water thoughtfully, his arms folded as he looks it over. "...Malcolm?"

"You know." Graves takes in a deep breath before he turns to face his friend. "This ain't a bad stop for us to start teachin' you how to--"

"Nope," Twisted Fate says immediately, knowing where this is going.

"T.F., what the hell are you gonna do when I ain't around to get you outta water?" Graves scowls at him. "It almost got you killed in Bilgewater, and we barely got away in Zaun. I wouldn't care usually, but that's a few too many times recently. You should at least know enough not t'drown."

"If I shout real loud, you'd come get me." It sounds weak and stupid to say, but Twisted Fate suddenly doesn't feel clever when he's looking at the prospect of learning to swim.

"And if I can't? Look, we ain't always gonna be able to bust each other out of a bind. Sometimes, we gotta look out for ourselves."

"You don't have to tell me that," Twisted Fate says, his voice a little quieter.

A heavy strong hand rests on his shoulder, and the fingers squeeze faintly. "We'll take it slow," Graves says.

He isn't fond of the idea, but he knows Graves isn't wrong. There have been too many times he's almost drowned now, and Lady Luck won't smile on his favor forever. Twisted Fate lets out a heavy sigh and rubs his face. "Fine," he mutters.

"Try not to be too enthusiastic about it." Graves is smiling wryly, tugging him close to lean in and kiss him.

The affection is a pleasant surprise; lately, he's noticed that Graves has been much more open with it, and Twisted Fate supposes it makes sense. Action is often an easier thing for him than pretty words. He could deal having this more often, honestly. He closes his eyes, and does his best not to think about where they are or anything to do with swimming, opening his mouth to press more firmly into the kiss.

"Hm, better?" Graves murmurs against his mouth.

"How dare you bribe me," Twisted Fate says with a sigh. "Who would ever use such an underhanded tactic?"

"I could name a guy."

"Let's not start pointing fingers."


	2. Do You Have a Two?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Camping isn't Twisted Fate's style. Neither is learning to swim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RATING: Mature. Men are having sex with each other what the hey.  
> DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are owned by the author, simply written for amusement and the fact that I wasn't satisfied with the lack of stories with these two. Their adventure continues here.  
> NOTES: This story in particular ended up so long that I felt it was helpful to split it into two parts (again). You can find the second part set up as a second chapter in this post specifically.

Arranging camp, admittedly, does bring back some memories of their days together ten years ago, running throughout the continent and sleeping under the stars until their next con. Living life on his own minimized that quite a bit and he found favor with a roof over his head and an actual mattress; the bedrolls that Graves has set out don't look terribly comfortable and Twisted Fate honestly is questioning the quality of sleeping there. But they're here now, and there's not much to change that. If it was intentional to rest out here, Twisted Fate supposes it wouldn't be all bad.

Sleep probably only comes around as it does because he's getting used to resting next to Graves now. Even in the past, they never were so physically close. He knows for a fact that he's not the only one, either. He knows by now that Graves struggles without him at night, albeit for different reasons.

Twisted Fate wakes, finding that Graves' arms are around him, but tensely. He isn't sure if the other man is awake or not, but it's impossible to miss the tremor in his body.

It's not that he's ever brushed off the last ten years. He hasn't, and he knows they _both_ made mistakes that caused Graves to lose ten years of his life in the Locker and there _is_ , of course, guilt to go with it. Twisted Fate's lived with that, and continues to do so.

Hesitantly, he runs his fingers through Graves' short hair, turning his head to press his lips against his forehead. "Malcolm," he says quietly.

The gunman wakes with a start, his eyes wide and breath in a panic he tries to smother away, as if the Locker has no hold on him. Gently, he slides his knuckles over the side of Graves' face, looking at him quietly.

"Shit," Graves mutters, rubbing his eyes.

"Take yer time," is all Twisted Fate feels he should say. He doesn't see a point in offering to lend an ear. He knows that Graves would refuse anyway, stubborn man that he is; Graves would insist that he can take care of himself and that he's fine. 

Slowly, Graves is sitting up, letting out a frustrated sigh. Twisted Fate sits up slowly, pressing his forehead against his partner's back. That seems to be enough for both of them as he listens to Graves' breathing begin to calm. A quiet, relieved breath escapes Twisted Fate.

Then he pauses, noticing that something's off; he's peering at their surroundings with a confused frown. "When the hell did we get a tent?" Twisted Fate asks.

"What?" Graves blinks at him, then glances around.

For a fact, Twisted Fate knows they _only_ had the bedrolls. Somehow, over the course of night, a tent has sprung up around them. Specifically, the tent seems to be made out of branches and giant leaves, like someone's commanded the planets to form shelter around them. He touches the leaves curiously, then hesitates when he feels something shift on his legs.

Something furry.

Warily, Twisted Fate touches the furry mound sleeping on his legs, then raises a brow down at the yordle sleepily waking up. "A fine hello to you too, Gnar."

Gnar lets out a noisy yawn before holding out his tiny arms. "Teff," he demands, his little fingers wiggling.

"Uh-huh." Twisted Fate indulges the yordle, holding him close to his neck. He can feel Gnar hold on while yawning again. "Just watch the claws, boomer." He pauses and glances at Graves, a little more hesitant. "Malcolm?"

"S'fine," is spoken gruffly.

Twisted Fate presses his shoulder against his partner's. "All right," is all he answers with, his voice softer.

"So, you think he put this up?" 

"What, Gnar? Nah. Kid's resourceful, but I think he'd be just as happy to sleep in a pile of leaves." Twisted Fate fingers a branch growing out of the ground. "Looks like it's magic, anyhow."

Graves grunts, sounding just barely interested. That earns a sympathetic glance from Twisted Fate. At this point, conversation is just a distraction until he's ready to sleep again anyway, and he understands that all too well.

"I'll have a look outside, see if our other guest is about." Twisted Fate forms a smile on his face. "Just relax for a bit, hotshot."

It's a tall order, but he thinks letting Graves cool off on his own might not be a bad step. He slips out from the plant-based tent and has a look over the outside curiously as he continues to cradle a dozing yordle against his shoulder. It's an interesting little tent, more like a tiny hut than anything else with how it looks; branches are braided together at the bottom, with large leaves adorned for the roof to help slide off any invasive rain, should it come. There are buds on the top of the tent, as if it's supposed to blossom something.

"Aww, I wasn't even done yet!"

Exactly the culprit he'd been expecting, honestly. Twisted Fate glances down and sees another familiar yordle face, and he gives a wry smile. "Well, I had a feelin' you were the culprit."

It's impossible to mistake her for anyone else, even in the dark of the night. Lulu's smile is as bright as ever, and fluttering close by is her companion, Pix. From the looks of things, Gnar must be traveling with Lulu.

Which earns a wary glance from Twisted Fate. "Just the two of you out here? Three, I mean. Pardon, Pix." the thief asks, glancing around hesitantly. He is _not_ up for dealing with Veigar in almost any circumstance.

"Not including you and Graves, of course," Lulu says with a delighted giggle. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

"Not in the middle of the night, I'm not." Twisted Fate smiles wryly at her. "But the shelter's much appreciated. I don't suppose I can repay you when it's daylight instead?"

Lulu grins and holds her arms behind her back. "Well, it is a lot more fun when the sun's out."

"Just do me a favor an' take Gnar with you. Tent's a bit crowded." Twisted Fate kneels down and gently hands off the resting yordle to Lulu, who seems to have no problem supporting his weight even though they're roughly the same size.

"Good night, sweet dreams, and don't let the bed bugs bite off your toes!" Lulu wishes him cheerfully.

Yes, that surely is Lulu. The swindler gives a polite nod of his head before he slips back into the plant constructed tent. There, he finds Graves, sitting up in a slouched position, his eyes unfocused. Twisted Fate hesitates before he crouches next to him, touching his partner's arm.

Wordlessly, Graves looks at him before his arms pull Twisted Fate down to him, embracing him tightly. 

"Malcolm," is all Twisted Fate says, his voice a bit softer as he places his hand on the back of the other man's head. "Whaddaya need me to do?"

Graves just shakes his head.

"All right. That's fine. You take your time."

 

-=-=-

 

The morning comes in easily enough. First, he notices the warm bundle of fur on his face who happens to be named Gnar. It earns a tired sigh; he supposes it was much to ask of Lulu to make sure Gnar didn't invade the tent he'd been sharing with Graves, but there's nothing to be done about it now. No, what startles him, admittedly, is that he doesn't immediately feel the familiarity of Graves' body nearby, which is surprising for two reasons. The first, well, between the two of them, Twisted Fate has almost always been the one who wakes up earlier than the other out of pure routine. Then again, they _are_ camping outside, so maybe that's thrown both of them off in two opposite ways. 

The second, Twisted Fate realizes, is that they're _both_ getting used to being near each other at night. That brand of _needing--_ he knows what it means. It makes his throat tighten uncomfortably.

With a sigh, he pries the sleepy yordle off of him, who gives a defiant mutter of, " _Gnar._ "

"Mornin' to you too," Twisted Fate mutters, scratching him under the chin. "You see where Graves went or didja sleep through that too, boomer?"

Gnar blinks slowly as he wakes up, snuffling decisively before deciding to move away from Twisted Fate's fingers. He leaps off of the man's lap and runs out of the tent.

"All right, then." Twisted Fate pushes himself to his feet and steps outside, stretching. 

It's a terribly bright morning, and maybe on most other days he'd find it welcoming, but his back hurts from sleeping on the ground and his neck feels like it's wrenched wrong. It's a clear day, the sort that birds are singing and blossoms are blooming, and Twisted Fate simply isn't much in the mood for it. He scratches his fingers through his long hair, frowning at the tangles he finds along the way as he blinks the sleep out of his eyes, observing the area.

Not far, he watches Graves tending to their campfire, and from the smell of it it's fish, mostly. 

Well, at least he isn't seasick anymore.

Twisted Fate watches Gnar scamper up to Graves, giving a proud shout of, " _GRAFFS!_ "

"Yeah, good job. You found 'im," Twisted Fate muses, putting his hands into his pockets as he approaches. "How long you been up, hotshot?"

"Longer than _you._ You were a damned rock this morning," Graves says. "You ready for today?"

Ah. That. Twisted Fate tries to look indifferent and isn't entirely sure how convincing it is to Graves. "Sorta figured you'd forget about that."

He does not like the crafty smile on Graves' face. "Not a damned chance, sunshine. You're goin' in the water."

"Sleepin' outdoors, camp food, forcing me to swim -- you just _love_ takin' me out of my comfort zone, don't you?" Irritably, Twisted Fate sits down next to him while Gnar invites himself to his lap. He doesn't have the heart to shove the yordle off.

"Sorry it ain't _high cuisine_ and train cabins with plumbing, your majesty, but you know this isn't a bad idea." Graves pauses, then adds, "You know, while you're learnin'... If it's too much, let me know."

"What's the worst that could happen besides drowning?" Twisted Fate asks flatly, accepting one of the pieces of fish. He pauses when Gnar tries to grab for it, and he pulls it out of the yordle's reach.

Graves gives him a look. "I ain't gonna let you drown, Tobias."

There's a pause while he gives Gnar a piece of his breakfast, leaving the yordle content to nibble on his piece. Twisted Fate looks away and shrugs. "I know," he finally says, quietly.

"Besides, I enlisted some help."

"What?" Twisted Fate scowls. "Who th' hell would you even ask out here in the middle of no where?"

Then it hits him harder than any of Malphite's punches. Twisted Fate's eyes widen and points at him with his stick of fish. "Don't y'dare tell me you asked--"

"T.F.! Oh my gosh, this is gonna be _so much fun!_ I can't wait to help you swim!" he hears Lulu's cheerful voice practically sing in the air, which would be normally sweet and endearing but right now all Twisted Fate can really feel is dread. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see her in a swim suit, and in her tiny hands she's holding a kick board, bless her heart.

"You're an evil, evil man, Malcolm Graves," Twisted Fate growls at his partner.

Graves doesn't even try to hide his smug grin. "Eat up, princess. We got work to do."

After breakfast, it takes a bit of prying for him to fully commit to this. Even after everything that's been said and done, he's reluctant to get into the water. No amount of Lulu's optimistic encouragement could quite convince him, or Gnar's garbled, strange language calling out from the middle of the lake, swimming with all four of his little legs. Eventually sick of Twisted Fate's hemming and hawing, Graves had given a growl of annoyance, wrapped his arms around Twisted Fate's waist, and threw him into the water.

Suffice it to say, the scream the thief had given was not the most masculine noise he'd ever made.

As he stands up and coughs out water, he watches Graves start to wade in, laughing and rubbing his nose. " _Shit_ , you're like a goddamn cat."

"That was entirely unnecessary!" Twisted Fate growls at him.

"At the rate you were goin', no way you would have even dipped your damned toes in. Don't be so _dainty._ " Graves takes him by the wrist, gently tugging him close. "We're barely waist deep."

"And I hate it," Twisted Fate says, not hiding his annoyance. "I'd much rather be _sunbathing._ "

"You're fine." Graves is squeezing his wrist gently. "C'mon. You're already in. Let's go in a bit deeper."

Nearby, Lulu is piping up with, "You can do it, T.F.! You can float, just like a duck or a log or a really big volleyball!"

"Shooshoo nabba, Teff!" Gnar hollers as he swims by.

"This is the third worst day of my life," Twisted Fate grumbles as he follows Graves' lead, warily walking further into the water.

Gradually, they go far enough that the water's level just goes past his stomach. It's hardly enough to make it plausible to drown easily, but it still brings in an anxious feeling to his chest. He swallows dryly, and somewhere along the line Twisted Fate has ended up clutching Graves' arm.

He isn't mocked for it, thankfully. Instead, Graves is looking at him with a brand of patience he's rarely seen.

"When you're ready, I want you to lean back on me. Lulu's not wrong; you can float, an' we'll start with that," Graves instructs him.

"This is a hellish version of a trust test," Twisted Fate complains. Reluctantly, he releases the other man's arm, turning slowly so that his back is to him. He feels Graves' familiar rough fingers on his shoulders as he supports his weight, and slowly he sinks back into the water. Graves holds his hand, thankfully, and he clutches on like it's his lifeline. His eyes squeeze close, he wants to think of anywhere else but in the water right now.

He's floating. He's done this before, and it was many years ago while he was a boy. The memory strikes him suddenly; he can remember this with his grandmother, who held on and promised to show him further how to trust the river. Unfortunately, it wasn't long after that he'd been exiled. Since then, there was a mixed shame about the subject matter, and he simply never found the need nor time until apparently now.

And here he is, holding onto his partner and friend, floating in a lake with his help.

"You got it." It's an odd quality to Graves' voice. He's making an attempt to sound reassuring as best as he can. The words aren't as comforting as the way his hand squeezes Twisted Fate's, but he does quietly appreciate the attempt nonetheless. "Try kickin' your feet slowly."

He does, trying to take his time. He's still rigid, stiff from the discomfort he's in. It's hard to relax.

"T.F., try openin' your eyes."

It's not a demand. Graves is being cautious with him. He knows what being in the water means to him, and he's giving Twisted Fate the option to look up.

So, after taking in a deep breath, he does, finding himself looking up at Graves' face, who's looking back down at him.

"I got you," Graves promises.

"I know." Twisted Fate doesn't think he's ever quite let go, in a lot of ways.

Slowly, Graves continues to pull him along, guiding him. Gradually, he finds himself relaxing, and kicking comes along easier. It's less a frantic motion to escape and more to push him forward. 

"Fightin' against the water's the easiest way to drown. Better to try to relax and let yourself float. Spending too much energy flounderin' is just a guarantee to tire yourself out." Slowly, Graves helps him back to his feet, which he's silently grateful for.

The advice isn't wrong, but he remembers hearing it before. Still, there's a difference between the words being told and the actual experience of it, Twisted Fate supposes. It makes sense. Water, no matter how calm looking, is unsuspectingly strong and can throw you off in more ways than one. 

With a tug, Graves is helping him back upright. With a wry look, the gunman asks him, "You feelin' like giving that a try facedown?"

"No," Twisted Fate answers him, a little faster than he likes to admit.

"You're gonna have to eventually."

"Yeah, but not now."

Graves snorts a little. "All right. We'll go ahead and try something else, then. You're not dumb, you'll get this in no time. You don't have to like it, but I'd rather keep down the possibility of you dyin'."

"Immensely flattering from the man who used to want to see me dead," Twisted Fate muses, but shares his own grin. He can read into that well enough.

"C'mon, smartass. Let's get back to it."

 

-=-=-

 

Much to his irritation, the lessons continued for most of the day with the occasion break. Frankly, Twisted Fate would much rather go back to heading for Piltover, but at the same time he can't truly begrudge Graves for having convinced him to get involved in this. He knows why, more or less; the outlaw wants to ensure his best possible survival, regardless of whether or not Graves would be there to help him. Twisted Fate is _far_ from weak, but he supposes he has a point about the swimming issue. 

That didn't mean, of course, Graves wouldn't get some entertainment out of it by encouraging Gnar and Lulu to help him. 

Asshole.

Over the course of it all, Lulu had offered him a kickboard. While Twisted Fate had pointed out that it was too yordle sized to be appropriate for him, she had enlarged it without another word, which made it impossible to refuse at that point. Besides him, Gnar whooped and cheered him on, swimming beside him, as if the young prehistoric yordle was trying to show him how it's done. It's a bit difficult to not feel a bit embarrassed that someone who's a child can swim with such ease in comparison to him, but on the other hand both yordles appear to just want to help in their most sincerest of methods. It's not the most prideful thing, but obviously their hearts are in the right place, and Twisted Fate isn't going to hold it against either of them.

At the end of the day, he feels exhausted. His arms are like lead, and he's too tired to even complain properly.

"You're gonna be an expert in no time, T.F.! No time at all." Lulu is planting herself in front of Twisted Fate, who's doing his best to dry off by the fire that Graves has started.

He snorts. "Appreciate the intent, but I got no real interest in specializing in swimming. C'mere, giggles, your hair's a mess."

With her hat plucked off, Lulu hums merrily as she sits still for him. Gently, he works his fingers through her curly hair, unknotting tangles. Lulu is far from being a child, but her nature reminds him of one. It's difficult to not be a little fond of her.

"Yabba snah!" Gnar shouts, rushing up on all fours to try to shove himself next to Lulu.

"Ugh-- Gnar, you smell like a wet sock," Twisted Fate grumbles, gingerly trying to move the wet yordle aside. As if to spite him, Gnar shakes himself out, flicking water on him. It takes his willpower to not shout at the young warrior, and instead the thief gives an irritated scowl. "Can I stop camping yet?"

"We're about a day's walk from an inn. So if you feel like walkin' after all of that swimming, be my guest," Graves tells him.

Twisted Fate groans dramatically.

The day comes to a close at last after they eat. Lulu and Gnar collected various nuts and fruit, and once more they also dined on fish. By the end of his time in Bilgewater, Twisted Fate can't say he has much the stomach for it these days and it's eaten with great reluctance. When he's ready to rest in the tent that Lulu had made for them, Twisted Fate had to move Gnar out at least twice already.

He expects that he's going to wake up to a face full of fur again, whether he likes it or not.

As he lays his head back, Twisted Fate lets out a sigh. "Before you think to ask, learnin' to swim doesn't make me feel any better about the water."

"Didn't figure it would." Graves is tugging him near, and the swindler easily obliges by resting his head on his shoulder. "Look on the bright side: your chances of survival have greatly increased."

"Yeah, an' all you had to do was get a couple of yordles as my cheerleaders," Twisted Fate says dryly. He gently elbows Graves in the side. "You're an asshole."

"You managed all right, delicate flower that you are."

"Lucky me." He pokes the other man's side, playfully.

Graves gives him a discouraging look. "Oh, don't y'dare do that."

"Do what?" Twisted Fate grins at him, tracing his fingertips over the gunman's side. "That?" He teases over his stomach. "Hey, I wonder what Lulu would say if I told her that you were ticklish."

"You wanna do this? Fine." A wolfish smile forms on Graves' face and he turns over to pin the thief down, straddling his hips. "We're doin' this."

Before another smart word could come out of Twisted Fate, he feels Graves' stronger hands find his sides and relentlessly wiggle them. He lets out howling laughter, trying to kick off the bigger man, but he's not able to throw off his superior weight. Instead, Graves keeps on going, and he finds himself laughing until he's red in the face.

When Graves pulls his hands away, Twisted Fate breathes hard and shakes his head. "Bastard," he grumbles, but he feels himself smiling in the aftermath. He only hesitates when Graves is looking down at him, as if thoughtful. "Look, I know I'm gorgeous, but I didn't think it'd stun you so much."

"Wiseass," Graves grunts before he's carefully taking Twisted Fate's chin into his hand. Without another word, he descends, pressing his mouth against Twisted Fate's.

It's strange, having such a fleeting, almost innocent moment with him. They're hardly young and naive men, and he's less carefree than he used to be. Yet, the short moment was elating, and it leaves Twisted Fate feeling warm in his chest. After years of difficulty between them, it's times like these that remind him why he feels as he does. It's dangerous, and he should be worrying more, but slowly he caves in. He slides his hand to the back of Graves' head and presses into the kiss. It's slow, and he can feel that Graves is taking his time to appreciate it.

He does, too.

When the kiss breaks, his head is being pressed against Graves'. Twisted Fate exhales. "Malcolm."

Graves looks at him with attention.

It almost causes Twisted Fate to lose his nerve, which is a startling sensation, almost _foreign._

"Kshaa! _Wabbo!_ " he can hear Gnar shouting outside the tent. That's not a playful call from the yordle, but the sounds of him attacking something.

Or someone.

"Shit, what now?" Graves growls, pulling away from Twisted Fate. Swiftly, the gunman is on his feet, grabbing the gun that Ekko had given him shortly before they'd left Zaun. With a sigh, Twisted Fate is on his feet smoothly, following him outside.

He immediately as to duck away from a swinging blade as it nearly lops off his head. The thief rises back up, punching the pirate sharply in the face before Graves is shooting him in the head. Over the gunman's shoulder, Twisted Fate can see Gnar growling and taunting a group as he swings his boomerang, with Lulu behind him firing off her magic.

"Red Caps," Graves mutters. "What the hell?"

Twisted Fate pulls the gunman down quickly to avoid a bladed hook before he's quickly flicking a card into his opponent's face. It explodes upon impact, throwing the pirate off his feet. "Guess they're pissed off too. Persistant bunch, ain't they?"

"Gettin' real tired of this," Graves mutters, moving to cover behind a rock to shoot at the attacking pirates.

"I love this game, T.F.!" Lulu says cheerfully.

"Great, I'm glad," Twisted Fate says far less enthusiastically.

"I was wondering when they'd be back!"

Huh. That's curious. Twisted Fate looks at her thoughtfully.

There were many pirates, once upon a time, that were loyal to Gangplank in Bilgewater. Several gangs, all of them answering to one leader for a long, long time. Twisted Fate's already concluded that they bear some grudge against him and Graves. After all, they escaped death while the ship went down, and Twisted Fate never counted on any of them for any true intelligence. He's almost impressed by their determination and thirst for vengeance, but it's not been very beneficial for him or Graves.

But Lulu had run into them before.

The train tracks. A beast had ruined them. Did the pirates attack Gnar and Lulu before? Was this _intentional?_ Destroying the tracks did ensure that Twisted Fate and Graves' journey would be slowed down, after all.

"Damn," Twisted Fate mutters to himself, calculating.

He watches his partner struggle and curse to use Twitch's gun. It has no real finesse from what Twisted Fate can see, and he's certain that Graves would give anything to have a gun that shot actual bullets. Lulu and Pix are working together, throwing magic to strike down any daring pirates before working to shield Gnar as the young yordle throws his weapon at them with a determined grunt.

Twisted Fate is startled when his arm is snagging by a chain, and lets out a surprised grunt when he's yanked off of his feet. He kicks and tries to find his footing as he's dragged towards the water.

Oh. Of course. Of course they're going to try to _drown him._

He almost shouts for Graves, who's turning around with a furious look in his eyes, but it's too late as he's pulled into the lake. A day of learning isn't enough to make him comfortable here, and he doesn't think he'll ever be for several reasons. Twisted Fate struggles to hold his breath as he's pulled into water, and he can't find his feet.

Eventually, he's deep enough that it won't matter at all.

Terror shoots through him, and Twisted Fate finds himself behind held down in the water by the chain around his arm, and a smug looking pirate who's easily had years more experience swimming than him. Twisted Fate almost loses the air he's holding as he struggles; the chain is too strongly wrapped, and he can't pull it free from his grip.

Finally desperate, Twisted Fate swims toward the pirate. It's more like a floundering, but he has enough momentum grab the Red Cap by the throat and squeeze. It's enough to make the pirate sneer underwater and struggle against him, but he has to release the chain finally.

Twisted Fate shoves off of him, kicking at his chest to push him away as he surfaces, gasping for air desperately. Trying not to panic, he swims for a log that's floating on the water, clutching onto it with a tremor through his body.

"Tobias!" he hears Graves shout for him, a tone of fear in his voice.

Twisted Fate looks up, seeing Graves at the shore, wanting to go in after him, but he's not quite done with the pirates trying to keep him and the two yordles separated. 

A hand grabs his leg, and the same pirate is trying to pull him under again.

"Son of a bitch," Twisted Fate hisses to himself, struggling as he wants to keep holding onto the only thing keeping him afloat and attempting to kick at him.

It grows more worrisome when he sees a blade in the pirate's hand.

Suddenly, he hears a familiar bestial roar echoing around them, the clear shout of, " ** _GNAR!!_** " All eyes look quickly to what was once a tiny, unassuming yordle who was now a gigantic beast, throwing the pirates aside like nothing. Lulu shouts something, using her magic to cause Mega-Gnar to grow even further in size.

It's undoubtedly not what the pirates had been expecting as they seriously reevaluate their priorities.

Mega-Gnar launches himself into the water, easily crushing Twisted Fate's assailant under a mighty paw. The wave almost throws the thief back under the water, but with his other hand Mega-Gnar is holding Twisted Fate up and out of the water, keeping him safe.

"Much appreciated, boomer." Twisted Fate plays a smile onto his face, but he hates that he can't shake off the last tremble that passes through him.

Thankfully, he thinks he can count on Gnar not judging him in the slightest.

Before the beast shifts back into a yordle, they make their way to shore. Twisted Fate pushes his hair out of his face with a sigh, still hungry for air. He feels familiar rough hands hold his shoulders, and his eyes meet Graves'.

"I'm fine," Twisted Fate assures. "An' I don't wanna hear you say _I told you so_ about the swimmin' thing."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Graves pauses, then squeezes his shoulders. "I reckon we ought to move camp."

"I'm thinkin' that's smart." Twisted Fate crouches down and looks at the little prehistoric yordle. "Thanks for the save, boomer."

"Yannah vriyoo! Teff!" Gnar gives a toothy smile.

 

-=-=-

 

Traveling at night after the attack sopping wet isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Twisted Fate tries not to lament the squish of his socks in his boots, wrinkling his nose to him at the sensation. His hair is drying, it's tangled, and he felt obligated to carry Gnar after the rescue -- which means cradling a bundle of wet, smelly fur. 

"This was smart of 'em," Twisted Fate says to Graves.

That earns a grunt from Graves. "Didn't think without Gangplank that they'd be so smart."

"S'why I think that maybe there's someone leading them. Tellin' them what to do." Twisted Fate shrugs. "Beats me as to who, though, but they got a clear grudge. Kinda reminds me of someone, actually."

" _Very_ funny," Graves says flatly.

The thief offers a smug smile to him.

"You doin' all right after all that? In the water."

The smile is lost and Twisted Fate shifts Gnar's weight in his arms. "I'm fine," Twisted Fate lies smoothly.

The gunman looks thoughtful for a moment before he's reaching to hold his arm, gently squeezing it. "You still looked terrified. Even when you could swim."

"Malcolm." Twisted Fate sighs. "...Listen, not knowin' how to swim's plagued me my whole life. I originally chose _not_ to learn."

"You made that choice?" Graves looks at him, baffled. "Consciously?"

This is quickly getting to be uncomfortable for him. Eventually Twisted Fate crouches down and gently pushes Gnar to his feet. "Go on ahead an' stick with Lulu," he tells him, and he watches Gnar scurry off and excitedly greet his fellow yordle. The thief stands back up and looks at Graves as they walk. 

Stupid. He's going to tell him _this_ but not the other thing.

"I got a hang up or two about the river," Twisted Fate confesses. "I was forced out when I was a kid. Never been much for many traditions, but some of it stuck with me. When you're exiled, you become dead to the river. Unworthy. Never quite shook it off, like I couldn't--" He gives a frustrated sigh. "Look, it's hard to explain, and I know how it sounds."

"You said yes to me anyway."

"Well, I sorta like the fact you enjoy keepin' me alive," Twisted Fate muses faintly.

There's a pause between the two of them. Eventually, Graves removes his hand, raising it to lightly tuck some damp hair behind Twisted Fate's ear. "'Preciate you being so forthcoming. That's not typical of you."

"Don't get too cozy with it, hotshot." Twisted Fate smiles fondly at him.

Still, Graves has a point. Gradually, he's becoming more openly emotional with him, which is troubling. Yet, for Graves, he doesn't seem to struggle with it nearly as much, and at the same time Graves is trying to make sure he's listening to Twisted Fate when appropriate. The thief is grateful for his willingness to try to change himself in that way.

But for Twisted Fate, he has years of needing to undo some habits for Graves, it seems.

It seems worthy to work on.

For now, they walk through the woods to find a new place to rest during their journey forward.


End file.
